


Light It Up

by sophie_sticated



Category: Ensemble Stars! (Video Game)
Genre: Canon Divergence, Gen, Post-Starmine Live
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-07
Updated: 2020-09-07
Packaged: 2021-03-07 01:49:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,529
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26339035
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sophie_sticated/pseuds/sophie_sticated
Summary: The path we chose may look grim and sad—but maybe a little talk can light it up?
Relationships: Narukami Arashi/Yuuki Makoto
Kudos: 9





	Light It Up

**Author's Note:**

  * For [grossnoona](https://archiveofourown.org/users/grossnoona/gifts).



> Written for Enstars Summer SS for [drunkossan](twitter.com/drunkossan) on Twitter! Sorry for taking too long and I hope this one is to your liking! Have a nice day/night and thank you for waiting~
> 
> Tagged canon divergence as it was said in Starmine that the festival was only a one day thing. Hehe. 
> 
> This was...really interesting to write since I'm not used to writing these two characters. I hope they're not too OOC ^^"

"So…"

"How did we end up here together, I wonder?" 

Arashi and Makoto look at the crowd in front of them—a swarm of people donning their yukata under the soft lantern lights that illuminated the dark sky as they happily chatter around several food stalls and gaming booths. 

Summer festival. 

Makoto awkwardly chuckles, looking at his companion. "They really left us here, huh? Sorry, Narukami-kun. It must suck to get stuck with me." 

"Oh no no. What are you saying, Yuuki-kun~" Arashi lets out a light-hearted chuckle. "Since we're here already, we might as well enjoy it right? I mean, the event just ended yesterday. It's just right that we get some fun after coming all the way here, yes?" 

"Well, I guess so." Makoto flashes a smile. "Good job with Starmine yesterday." 

"Thank you~ good job to _you,_ too! It must have been tough to handle Izumi-chan, yes?" She chuckles as they start to tread towards some stalls to buy some food. "And now, you're stuck with another Knights member. Seriously, you should pat yourself in the back." 

"Haha. It's not as if I'm avoiding Knights, you know? So please don't be on guard that muc—ah, would you like this bunny candy apple? It's cute." 

"Ara, you're right! We should buy some, Yuuki-chan~" 

Makoto almost chokes on his own spit. "C...Chan?" 

"Come on~ it's cuter!" Arashi pouts, giving Makoto the other candy apple that she bought. "You can call me Arashi-chan if you want to~!" 

"Ahaha. You sure like to joke around, Narukami-kun." 

"Rude! I'm not joking. You're hurting this maiden's feelings~!" Arashi fakes a dramatic, disappointed sigh, which effectively made Makoto chuckle and obviously more relaxed. 

_Yay~ Plan to make Yuuki-chan comfortable, success! ☆_

The duo decides to roam around more, looking around the huge festival. Makoto thinks it's nice—but he sort of wishes he is with Trickstar. They promised to go here together after all. 

Arashi walks beside Makoto, endlessly chattering about how the overall ambiance of the festival is wonderful and how the other Knights members would act in this place. Makoto internally thanks her for saving him out of the conversation dilemma—occasionally giving her back some comments about Trickstar. 

Their laughter is light and fun on the outside...but Makoto thinks it's sort of strained. 

He kind of blames himself with that. 

"We had the pretty fireworks during the live yesterday, but apparently there's another set for tonight as it is the festival's closing day." Arashi decides to bring up, her toes playfully skidding amidst the throng of people. "If you'd like, do you want to go back to the hotel so you can meet back up with the rest of Trickstar?" 

"Ah, no," Makoto says before he can even stop himself. "Uh...I mean…" 

Arashi tilts her head. 

"Uhm…" Makoto sweats. Oh dear. He surely caught himself in an awkward situation. "If...If you'd like it...maybe we can watch it together?" 

Arashi blinks. 

… 

And blushes. 

"Ah-! I mean if you don't want to it's perfectly alright! Okay! Let's go back to the hote-" 

Arashi chuckles, her cheeks dusted with light pink as she pulls Makoto by his hand. "You're so silly! Of course I'd love to! There's no need to hold back!" 

Makoto sighs, and smiles back shyly. "Sorry. That must have been so awkward." 

"Oh no no, definitely not! In fact I'm really glad you asked." 

"Hm? Why?" 

"Well...it seems like you really need a break after yesterday. And while the Trickstar boys can surely give you that usual dose of happiness, I think Yuuki-chan should also take a breather from all the chaotic shenanigans of our respective units, yes?" She smiles, finally letting go of Makoto's hand as the pavement underneath their feet is replaced by the warm sand. "Well, not that I am the one to talk since I'm quite chatty after all." 

Makoto smiles, looking back to the fading lights of the festival then to the ocean in front of them. "I appreciate it, you know? I'm not really the type to just start a conversation out of nowhere." 

Arashi gazes at the several sand castles erected at the shore—some of them already destroyed by the raging waves. "Thank you~ it's not that everyone can appreciate a naggy lady, yes?" 

Makoto just chuckles at that, looking beyond the horizon that's illuminated by the full moon. 

A comfortable silence that's constantly broken by the sound of the waves crashing against the shore arises between the two. Arashi was flattening some destroyed sand castles underneath her feet as Makoto follows right behind her. 

The atmosphere makes Makoto want to let out some worries. 

"Hey, Narukami-kun." 

"You wanted to ask something, right?" Arashi glances back at him and smiles before going back to the neglected castles. "Go on~ You can always consult your nee-chan," she says in a gentle and reassuring tone. 

Makoto huffs, deciding to take a seat on the sand. "I already asked Izumi-san about this yesterday but... 

...are my smiles really that fake?" 

Arashi stops at her activity and turns around, looking at the guy sitting right beside her who's now mindlessly staring at the ocean. 

She decides to join him in sitting on the sand—but not too close. 

"Did someone say they were?" she asks quietly. 

"Well, Hidaka-kun and Akehoshi-kun somewhat did yesterday." He scratches his cheeks sheepishly, and then crouched to put his chin on his folded knees that he's hugging to himself. "I just thought—ah, they really see right through me." 

Arashi hums. "Well, honestly, this industry is just filled with fake things, yes?" She smiles while drawing circles on the sand. "It can't be helped; we're public figures who are supposed to show people dream-like appearance—especially smiles. 

"It's tiring, right? To live in a world full of lies—almost like a doll that's dressed up to be pretty in front of people's and camera's eyes." 

She sees Makoto flinch at the word 'doll,' but continues nonetheless. 

"But you see, who cares if it's just lies? It's the path that we chose, right?" Arashi breaks out a somber smile. 

"It's harsh! But you know, when I see fans smile so beautifully when we perform right in front of them, it makes it really worth it. It makes me think—ah, people love what I am doing. And that alone makes me happier than I could ever be! 

"So if I could make them smile...if I can spread love in this way, then I don't mind faking some smiles here and there. 

"Because I know when the day ends, I have people I can return to and accept the me who isn't the one on the stage." Arashi looks at him and smiles fondly. "Don't you have some people like that, too, Yuuki-chan?" 

Makoto looks at her dumbfoundedly for a few seconds before cracking a small smile. "You and Izumi-san are really alike." 

Arashi gasps a bit, her eyebrows furrowing in annoyance. "Whaaat?! How rude! Izumi-chan of all people?!" 

"Hahaha! I'm just kiddi—" 

Their conversation is suddenly interrupted by the loud boom of the fireworks. 

Embarrassing, they didn't even notice that some people are by the shore as well. 

Both of them look at the fireworks with soft smiles on their faces. It is really wonderful—they didn't get to witness this properly yesterday after all. 

"Narukami-kun has those people as well, right?" Makoto suddenly speaks while still gazing at the ongoing fireworks. 

Arashi looks at him—her eyes reflecting a really, really adorable boy whose content expression is illuminated by the flashing lights. 

She smiles, looking back at the fireworks. "Well, we're still far from that level of closeness that Trickstar has, but perhaps I can consider them that." 

The night sky finally turns back to its darkness, but somehow, both of them feel much lighter before they came here. 

It was...nice. 

"Narukami-kun can also rely on me if you want to." 

"Ara. How brave~ my heart is skipping a beat!" 

Their joyous banters were cut off by a cheerful voice calling out to them, followed by more chaotic ones. The two blondes finally decide to stand up—dusting their clothes from sand that clung on it. 

Arashi and Makoto look at each other with a final soft smile, before running back to their respective units who were standing at the festival entrance. 

"Seriously~ we were all looking for the both of you and you're just here?" Subaru pouts, clinging to Makoto as he walks back to their group. "Ukki~ are you cheating on me with Rasshi~?" 

"Huh~? I'm not~ Akehoshi-kun, is this some high level manzai?!" Makoto smiles genuinely, which doesn't escape Arashi's eyes. 

_Well, isn't that a nice smile you're wearing, Yuuki-chan ♪_

"Nacchan~ you're staring~" Ritsu pokes her cheeks. "What~ are you smitten now over Yuu-kun?" 

"Kuma-kun~?" Izumi says with a smile—but his voice is obviously laced with annoyance. 

"What? Am I not allowed to call him nicknames? Are you jealous of Nacchan~? Don't whine on me, Secchan~" 

Arashi just chuckles at her unitmates' shenanigans, which Makoto sees in the corner of his eyes. 

_That's a wonderful smile right there, Narukami-kun._

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
